Who: Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona
What: Spanish LaLiga
The place: Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, Spain
When: Sunday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
Comply with Al Jazeera Sport‘s reside textual content and picture commentary stream.
Atletico Madrid doesn’t have a lot time to linger on its painful Champions League exit towards Actual Madrid.
One other essential recreation awaits on Sunday, this time towards Barcelona within the tight battle for the Spanish league title.
Al Jazeera seems to be forward to one of many largest video games within the Spanish soccer calendar:
How are Atletico Madrid and Barcelona faring in LaLiga?
Atletico are a degree behind Barcelona in second and 4 factors behind leaders Madrid within the three-way battle for the trophy.
Actual have performed two extra video games than Barca and yet another than Atletico.
So Diego Simeone’s crew can hardly afford to lose on Sunday however should shortly recover from one other excruciating defeat to their fierce crosstown rival within the Champions League on Wednesday.
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez scores a penalty throughout a penalty shootout that’s later disallowed after a VAR assessment as a result of a double contact within the Champions League match towards Actual Madrid on March 12, 2025 (Susana Vera/Reuters)
What occurred in Atletico’s Champions League Madrid derby?
Atletico misplaced in a penalty shootout to Actual after Julian Alvarez’s spot kick was disallowed for a double contact. Solely a video assessment noticed the primary contact when Alvarez’s assist foot slid and gently nudged the ball earlier than he impacted it together with his different foot and despatched it into the online.
“Truthfully, it isn’t simple to recover from the way in which we misplaced this tie. We will’t mislead ourselves,” Simeone stated after the match.
The place may the match be gained on Sunday?
Simeone acknowledged that Barcelona may have a bonus each bodily and emotionally after Hansi Flick’s aspect obtained an additional day’s relaxation after their victory towards Benfica on Tuesday to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
“We face an amazing rival on Sunday. I think about the Barcelona gamers have been wanting our recreation to go so long as it may, to succeed in penalties,” Simeone stated. “We are going to arrive drained and beat up after having fought exhausting in a tie that demanded we give it our all, however we’ll throw every little thing now we have left” at Barcelona.
🤩 Wonderful reminiscences from our final LaLiga recreation vs FC Barcelona pic.twitter.com/ztLACCN3bL
– Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 15, 2025
How has the rivalry panned out not too long ago?
Atletico have confounded Barcelona twice this season. Late targets by Alexander Sorloth snatched a 2-1 win at Barcelona within the league and a 4-4 draw within the opening leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.
However Barcelona have gone unbeaten in 17 straight video games throughout all competitions since that loss to Atletico in late December.
Atletico may even host Barcelona subsequent month to determine their Copa del Rey semifinal.
What’s Barcelona’s tackle the match?
Flick warned his Barcelona stars they should focus to keep away from crumbling towards Atletico Madrid as they’ve of their earlier two conferences this season.
“We have now had actually two nice matches, and naturally, now we have to be targeted from the start to the tip of the match,” Flick instructed reporters on Saturday.
“Within the first match, on the finish of the match, we weren’t so targeted like we will be, and in addition the second match was (the identical) at first and in addition on the finish, so now we have to take care about that.
“Whenever you make errors, Atletico can harm you, and that is what now we have to defend towards.”
No days off 💪 #Athletaric pic.twitter.com/iuQRV2QRWk
– FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona) March 15, 2025
How will Flick resolve the Olmo-Gavi headache?
Dani Olmo is seemingly forward of Gavi within the pecking order for the attacking midfield spot for Barca.
Gavi and Barca defender Alejandro Balde weren’t included within the Spain squad that may face the Netherlands within the Nations League quarterfinals subsequent week, however the Barca coach hailed each gamers.
“(Gavi) got here from an enormous damage, and he’s 20 years previous, and now for the time being, he’s, I feel, not the primary (alternative) … a harder scenario, however he’s doing nice,” Flick stated.
“In the meanwhile our midfield is doing actually good. I’m glad he’s right here, and I feel he’ll play many, a few years for this superb membership and be one of many superstars right here.
“He can enhance quite a bit. He’ll do that. His angle is unbelievably good. He’s actually targeted and actually glad he’s right here.
“I feel for the World Cup 2026, he might be there and be capable to play, 100%.”
Glad Gavi. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Eh0tos7Uhi
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) March 14, 2025
Flick added that Balde was “top-of-the-line” left backs on this planet and in addition praised veteran centre again Inigo Martinez, who was referred to as up for Spain by nationwide crew coach Luis de la Fuente.
“Along with his angle and mentality, he’s unbelievably good for each crew,” Flick stated.
Atletico Madrid kind information:
W-D-W-L-L
Barcelona kind information:
W-D-W-W-W
Atletico Madrid crew information
Angel Correa is suspended for the match after his crimson card within the 2-1 defeat to Getafe final weekend.
Koke stays a doubt with a knock whereas Rodrigo De Paul is about to overlook out.
Barcelona crew information
Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are nonetheless long-term absentees with knee accidents, however Andreas Christensen is again in coaching with the squad.
Atletico Madrid’s possible beginning lineup:
Jan Oblak; Nahuel Molina, Jose Maria Gimenez, Clement Lenglet, Reinildo; Giuliano Simeone, Rodrigo de Paul, Pablo Barrios, Conor Gallagher; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez
Barcelona’s attainable beginning lineup:
Wojciech szczesny; Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Freakie de jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphainha; Robert Lewandowski
